


Once You Go Bach, You Never Go Back

by laylabinx



Category: Grimm (TV)
Genre: Cello appreciation, Classical Music, Classical music puts Nick to sleep, Domestic Fluff, Fluff, M/M, Season/Series 01, Slash, in a good way
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-29
Updated: 2015-12-29
Packaged: 2018-05-10 02:05:01
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,489
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5564785
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/laylabinx/pseuds/laylabinx
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It doesn't take Monroe long to figure out that his cello playing is better than a shot of Nyquil for Nick. Light slash!</p>
            </blockquote>





	Once You Go Bach, You Never Go Back

**Author's Note:**

> Hello all! This was done for a lovely prompt over on DW :D This was originally supposed to be a 5+1 shot but it ended up being a 6+1 shot due to all the different Suites. Oh well, one extra never hurt, right? Hope you all like it!
> 
> A/N: I know absolutely nothing about the Cello so a lot of what I'm describing is completely off the top of my head lol! If anything is written incorrectly, please feel free to (politely! ^.-) let me know! :D
> 
> Disclaimer: I own nothing! =

**Suite No. 1 in G major**

The first time he notices it is about two months before he and Nick start dating. It had been just a little over a month after he and Juliette had parted ways that Nick had started stopping by Monroe's house on a much more regular basis. It's an unspoken arrangement, an agreement almost in a way, and it fits as well as a puzzle piece falling into place. Nick will stop by with the German imported beer Monroe prefers to drink and Monroe will cook dinner for the two of them and they will both sit in the simple comfort of each other's presence. Nick doesn't mention it and Monroe doesn't either but it works out in a way so that neither of them has to admit that they're both lonely and that this is the reason it works so well.

Nick is sitting at the kitchen table, a thick manila folder spread out over the cherry wood table top. The files are held together with paperclips and there's crime scene photos attached to the front page of each report. Some of the pictures are of the crime scene itself, some of the victim, and they all make Monroe's skin crawl when he glances over the younger man's shoulder as he reads through them. He leaves Nick alone to revel in all his crime scene glory and wanders into the living room, plucking his cello from the case and pulling out a sheet of music.

It's been a while since he's played, a few weeks now thanks to the commission he'd received at the beginning of the month, and his fingers feel achy and desperate for the thrum of the instrument's strings. He positions the cello in front of him, holding the bow lightly between his fingers, and very carefully begins to weave the bow across the strings. The music that greets him is a classic, a masterpiece, and he closes his eyes to simply feel the music as it emanates from the instrument. It's a short piece, only a few minutes long, but it's beyond comparison; one of the great pieces of the modern age that could never be replicated as long as mankind walked this earth.

The instrument feels warm and alive beneath his hands, the strings vibrating and purring with each chord played to make it seem like the cello is humming along with him. He barely has to look at the sheet music for reference; it's a piece he's almost mastered after all these years, and the faded paper is more of a formality than anything.

There's a shift in the kitchen, a ruffling of paper that makes him stop and look up. Nick is shaking his head tiredly, gathering his files with one hand and rubbing his eyes with the other. He seems to realize Monroe is looking at him and smiles sheepishly. "Sorry, I just got really sleepy all of a sudden." A few files are tucked into his bag and the rest find a place beneath his arm. "I think I'm going to head home before I fall asleep on your table."

"Can't have that," Monroe teases, setting the cello back into its case gently and walking Nick to the door. He watches as he walks out to his car, waving over his shoulder as he slides into the driver's seat. Monroe hesitates by the door, waiting until Nick has safely started the car and pulled away from the curb before he steps back inside. The cello is still sitting in its case when he goes back into the living room, the wood a warm-sugar brown and the strings still trembling for life. Monroe closes the case carefully and tucks it into the corner of the room. He feels his desire for beautiful music leave with Nick.

**Suite No. 2 in D minor**

Nick is stretched out on the couch across from him, a book propped in one hand and the other tucked behind his head. Monroe is in the chair adjacent to the couch, a leaflet of sheet music spread out over his lap. It had been a few weeks since his sudden inspiration to play Bach and now he's become obsessed again. He's pulled out all of the Suites and plans to go through each one over the next few weeks in hopes of fine tuning his skills.

Nick doesn't seem to mind; he seems to enjoy it more than anything, and he smiles the same endearing smile he's been gifting Monroe with a lot recently. Monroe tries not to take too much of it to heart right away; their relationship is still new, still raw and forming, that he's afraid if he pushes anything too far or tries to analyze the wrong thing, Nick will run for the hills. Still, he likes the enamored glances and the sweet smiles and feels no reason to push the issue right now.

The piece he settles on finally is a bit harder than the first Suite but not impossible. Sure, he hasn't played it in nearly three years and it could just as easily sound like a giraffe being crushed to death inside of a trash compactor but there's only one way to find out, right?

The bow meets the strings and his movements are a bit faster and more direct than they would be with something like the first Suite. The melody is more demanding, a bit more intense, and he actually has to look at the sheet music in front of him a few times to keep up with the rhythm. He remembered seeing sheet music for the first time when he was seven and thinking it looked like a page full of ink blots. Now he actually knows how to read it, how to understand it, and it's comparable to reading a foreign language in some aspects.

This Suite is slightly longer than the first and his hands begin to cramp ever so slightly as he readjusts his fingers on the bow. He'd been well and truly convinced of arthritis when he was first learning to play and now it just felt like muscle memory reawakening after a long sleep.

The bow pulls across the strings and there's a muffled thump that causes him to look away from the sheet music in front of him. Nick is sound asleep on the couch, the book he'd been reading covering his face and his arm resting over his head limply. Monroe is slightly startled by the fact that the impact of the book colliding with his forehead didn't even rouse the younger man but he doesn't really have the heart to wake him. They don't sleep together every night but if the dark circles beneath Nick's eyes are any indication of the kind of sleep (or lack there of) he's getting at home, maybe falling asleep on the couch isn't so extraordinary after all.

Monroe re-cases his cello and walks over to the couch, scooping Nick into his arms and ignoring the sleepy protests he hears. It's a pretty safe bet that Nick is staying the night so he turns off the lights and walks down the hall, detective in his arms, to the bedroom.

**Suite No. 3 in C major**

Monroe starts to catch onto the affects his cello playing has on Nick after it happens for the third time. He'd been coming to a conclusion for about two weeks now and decided tonight would be the perfect time to test his new theory.

Nick is sitting at the kitchen table, head bowed and shoulders hunched as he pours over a new stack of files. There's a cold, half-filled coffee mug at his right elbow and an empty envelope tucked underneath it. Nick is in the middle of combing through the files for new clues about the case he's working on and he hasn't taken a break in almost three hours.

Occasionally, Monroe will wander into the kitchen and stand behind him, kneading some of the tension from his shoulders and smiling when Nick groans in pleasure at the attention. He knows better than to try to pry Nick away from the table when he's this deep in a case; it will just result in incessant bitching and it's easier to just let him finish what he's working on in peace. Still, it bothers Monroe that Nick is pushing himself so hard and he decides it's time to test his theory.

He leaves Nick in the kitchen and steps into the living room, carefully pulling out his cello and setting it up against the side of the couch. He finds a sheet of music, the next Suite from his Bach collection, and sets it up on the stand. The bow feels light and familiar in his hands and he positions it over the strings with practiced precision. The instrument hums to life under his skilled hands and the room is suddenly filled with the sound of music.

The melody is deep and rich, a warm, fluid sound that fills the room like a living thing. The chords progress easily, staying steady enough to concentrate on without being startled. It's a working melody, one that blends seamlessly into the background and works its way into the movements and thoughts of the listeners. It's the perfect music for studying or working or, in this case, trying to put a Grimm to sleep.

Monroe is almost completely finished with the prelude when he hears a loud thump in the living room. He turns around and looks over his shoulder to see Nick face down on the kitchen table, pen still dangling loosely from his fingers and cold coffee cup sitting precariously close to the edge of the table.

Monroe almost laughs at the realization that his cello playing is the equivalent of a shot of Nyquil to Nick but he also realizes that Nick's head hit the table pretty hard and he feels he should probably go check on him. The cello once again finds its way back into the case and Monroe goes into the kitchen to get Nick.

**Suite No. 4 in E-Flat major**

Monroe has figured out the right way to put Nick to sleep by now and the greatest part is, Nick hasn't even caught onto the fact that it's happening yet. Every time Monroe feels that Nick is working too hard or just needs to take a break and actually sleep, he pulls out his cello and within minutes, Nick is drifting aimlessly through the Land of Nod. He knows Nick will probably be pissed once he figures out Monroe's secret weapon but until then, he's glad to keep it as his little secret.

Tonight is no different and Nick is working too hard for Monroe's liking. There are dark circles under his eyes and he has a look of fatigue about him that makes him look years older than he is. He has that same faded, wet newspaper smell around him that's always a sure indication of his exhaustion and in spite of it all, Nick refuses to take a break. He's been battling a headache all afternoon and Monroe knows it's going to work itself into a full blown migraine by the end of the night if he doesn't do something about it soon.

The cello comes out again and this time, Monroe makes sure he's set up facing Nick so the younger man gets the full brunt of the instrument's power. The No. 4 Suite is one of the most difficult, the one he always has trouble with, but after dealing with Nick's stubbornness all night, he feels up for a challenge.

He pulls the bow across the strings slowly, gently at first and adding pressure to get a richer sound. Nick glances up for just a second before going back to his work, smiling faintly and making a note in the margins of the folder he's working on. Monroe adjusts his fingers on the bow and strums the next few chords easily, glancing at the sheet of music every once in a while to mark his place. For being one of the most perceptive people Monroe knows, Nick is entirely clueless when it comes to others putting the play on him.

Sure enough, five minutes into the prelude, Nick's head starts to dip and he blinks heavily. Monroe is watching him carefully but he keeps playing, glancing at the music only a few times as it gets closer to the end. Nick had a bruise on his forehead for three days after taking a face plant into the table and Monroe is trying to bring him just to that point before he passes out completely again. The melody picks up just a bit toward the end but Monroe is very skilled in the ways of the cello and manages to keep the volume of the music low and close to a lullaby.

Nick is losing his battle with the waking world and Monroe props the cello against the couch, standing and walking into the kitchen to stand behind the younger man. He plucks Nick from the chair as easily as a child and there's very little protest as Nick leans against him sleepily. Monroe can't fight the triumphant grin that tugs at his lips as they walk back to the bedroom.

**Suite No. 5 in C minor**

"No. No, no, no! You stay away from me with your creepy Orpheus music!" Nick grumbles when Monroe walks past him holding a sheet of music in his hand. "I have to finish this file tonight and I can't be falling asleep in the middle of it because you want to channel Bach!"

Monroe tries to keep his face impeccably neutral and blinks innocently in surprise. "Okay, first of all, Orpheus played a lyre, not a cello. And second, I'm not sure what you mean."

"You know perfectly well what I mean," Nick mutters darkly, casting a somewhat annoyed glance over his shoulder at his lover. "You have an enchanted cello or something and every time you play it, I end up falling asleep and wake up with ink print of my forehead. Every damn time!"

Monroe tries to hide the amused smirk that plays at his features. Nick had finally started to catch on to what he was doing about two weeks earlier and was still trying to figure out how Monroe managed to do it. It drives him crazy that he can't figure it out and Monroe can't give him any insight because honestly, he doesn't know how it happens either. All he knows is that Nick is violently susceptible to near-narcoleptic losses of consciousness when he starts playing his cello and he can't figure it out to save his life.

"Would it help if I said I'm not trying to put you to sleep with my playing?" It's a complete lie but he has to at least try to make it sound like he's sorry. Nick is looking at him doubtfully and Monroe knows he doesn't believe a word he's saying but it's worth a shot to offer an excuse.

"Well, trying or not, I came prepared this time," Nick informs him, reaching into his pocket and pulling out a pair of bright orange ear plugs. He squeezes them both a few times, molding them to fit his ears before pushing them in with a smug grin. "There. Play away, my friend."

Monroe smirks and presses a kiss to his forehead before walking into the living room. His cello is already out of the case; it had been long before Nick got home that evening and Monroe had every intention of playing it. He didn't always use it for his own devious ways, sometimes he really did just want to play and tonight was one of those nights. Nick thought he was up to something but Monroe just wants to practice this new piece while he has the time.

Nick is in the kitchen again, parked at the table where he usually sits, and Monroe is in the living room set up next to the grandfather clock. The piece he's working on tonight isn't nearly as difficult as the fourth Suite but it does require concentration and he spends a good ten minutes reading over the notes on the page before he attempts it. He picks up the bow and tries the first chords three different times before he finds the right rhythm and position to get the correct sound. This Suite is a bit faster than some of the others and the cello vibrates against his knees with each chord played.

He's actually not thinking about the possibility of it putting Nick to sleep while he's playing, he's just concentrating on the notes that are scrolled across the page. No. 5 is one of his least favorites simply because of the sudden change in tuning in some of the music but it doesn't make it any less beautiful. He appreciates the music for its quality, not for his ability to play it.

He's nearly finished with the Sarabande when he hears a muffled "dammit Monroe" from the kitchen only moments before Nick's head hits the table again. It's not a heavy thump like it was a few nights ago so he's not as worried about Nick. And clearly the ear plugs did nothing to combat his superior Blutbad cello skills. He smirks and keeps playing.

**Suite No. 6 in D major**

It's the first time he's seen Roddy in months and the kid is practically trembling with excitement at the idea of playing a duet with Monroe. He'd found the sixth Suite not too long ago and figured it had enough leeway to allow for a violin accompaniment so he'd invited him over for a musical experiment.

Roddy is sitting on the couch, examining the sheet music like it's the most interesting thing in the world and his nose twitches a bit as he reads and gets closer to the bottom of the page. It's not a difficult piece but it will be interesting to see how a violin and cello combination play out.

Nick wanders in after a minutes and hands both of them a cup of tea before walking into the back bedroom to finish his report. He'd learned a few weeks ago that anytime Monroe pulled out his cello, it usually meant an early night for him, whether he wanted it or not, and he really needed to get some work done tonight. He kisses Monroe on the cheek and pats Roddy on the shoulder before disappearing into the bedroom.

The sound of Monroe's cello is deep and rich and the accompaniment of Roddy's violin gives it a lighter, more translucent quality as they play the complex lines of music that stretch across the page. Monroe watches Roddy from the corner of his eye, utterly fascinated by the way the kid plays, and actually finds himself listening to the violin more than his own instrument. Roddy has natural-born talent, not taught and schooled the way some kids are; his flows straight from the soul. It's amazing to watch him and Monroe almost feels like one of the rats the kid kept just by listening to him play the chords.

The duet actually turns out relatively well, mostly due to Roddy's ability to carry a tune that sounds even close to right. Monroe make a few minor mistakes, ones he notices that he doubts the kid even picked up on, but it makes him feel like a sub par musician all over again. Roddy doesn't seem to notice and they play the entire Suite in one sitting, both fully absorbed in the carefully crafted chords and their instruments.

It's nearly 8 o'clock by the time they finish and Roddy is beaming. Monroe is pretty pleased himself but he doesn't show it, content instead with the kid's excitement of the overall production of the Suite. He helps him pack his violin away and they're almost to the door when Roddy stops.

"Wait, I wanted to say goodbye to Nick," he explains and Monroe follows him back to the bedroom, opening to door softly. Nick is asleep on the bed, forehead resting on the open report he has laid out in front of him. He's snoring softly and there'd already a smudge of ink on his eyebrow from where he's laying. Roddy's head tilts to the head slightly as he looks at him, confusion and bafflement written across his features. "Dude, is he asleep? It's, like, 8:15."

Monroe just chuckles and closes the door, leading him back to the living room and out the front door. "It's a long story, I'll tell you in the car."

**Ode to a Grimm No.1 in G major**

"Would you play for me?"

The question catches him off guard and he has to physically look up from the clock he's repairing to meet Nick's eyes. "What?"

"Would you play for me?" Nick repeats with a small smile. "Your cello, I mean."

Monroe blinks, still feeling like he's missing a vital part of this conversation. It feels like he walked into the middle of it without knowing the context. "I thought you didn't like my playing."

Nick smiles again and shakes his head. "No, I do like your playing…I just don't like it when you're using it to knock me out when I'm trying to work. I like the way you play though, it's nice."

Monroe fights the urge to blush like a teenage girl when Nick compliments him like that and he can't hide the smile that tugs at his mouth. "You're just saying that because I feed you on a daily basis."

"Yes, and the sex is amazing but no, that's not why I'm saying it. I mean it, I like when you play the cello." Nick is looking at him evenly, eyes full of honesty and sincerity and Monroe feels himself getting tongue-tied all over again. He sighs finally and pushes the clock he's repairing away, knowing he's not going to be able to finish it tonight with a request like this.

"What would you like to hear?" He asks, standing slowly and making his way into the living room. "I've played every piece of Bach I know and I'm not good enough at any of the others to feel comfortable attempting them in front of you so…" He makes some kind of vague gesture with his hand and even he's not sure what it's supposed to mean.

Nick doesn't seem to mind or even notice as he follows him into the living room, taking a seat on one end of the couch and watching as Monroe pulls out his cello. He's been off all day and for once, it's Monroe who has a deadline to complete but it all seems to fade away at that simple request. Other than occasional help with Grimm cases, Nick doesn't usually ask him for much so he feels that this is the least he can do in such a situation.

"What would you like to hear?" Monroe asks again, positioning the cello in front of him and holding the bow just over the strings.

Nick gives him a flirty little smile that makes his neck feel hot and shrugs languidly. "Surprise me. Give me a Monroe Original."

Monroe blinks for a second, wondering what had gotten into Nick all of a sudden, but decides to let it drop. It's not often that he has an audience when he plays and he feels a swell of something akin to pride and can't help the urge to show off a bit. Still, he's never come up with something off the top of his head and he's not sure how well it will turn out now. "Alright," he breathes, adjusting his grip on the bow a bit and looking at Nick sitting across from him. "If this sucks, don't get mad at me."

He lowers the bow to the strings, his grip and pressure light as he carefully drags the bow across the body of the instrument. The sound is rich and low, vibrating all the way up from the floor and humming in the air like a deep frequency. He moves his fingers and pulls the bow again, the melody shifting into something a little lighter, the sound still heavy and warm like slow-heat molasses but the pitch is a bit higher this time.

He plays by feeling alone, not bothering to look at any sheet music or trying to understand where the music is coming from. It's an extension of him right now, naturally and spontaneously born, and he can't explain it even if he wanted to. Nick is watching him with a mixture of awe and adoration and he's completely involved in every note Monroe produces. This is all the encouragement he needs and the chords continue beneath his carefully poised fingers, hitting just the right string at just the right time to produce a completely unique sound.

He plays until his fingers begin to cramp and his shoulders ache from his position over the instrument. He tries to think of what chord should come next, what he wants to melody to sound like in his head, but his body is on autopilot right now. The song finishes on sweet note like a blush wine and for a moment neither of them move, silence filling the room in the void caused by the lack of music.

Nick is smiling warmly at him, his eyes tender and filled with love as he gazes at him. "That was amazing," he whispers and there's nothing but absolute honesty in his voice. Monroe really can't fight the blush that creeps into his skin this time around and he just smiles, resting his chin against the edge of the cello. Nick stands then, walking over and holding out his hand to him. Monroe takes it and allows himself to be pulled from his chair, carefully laying the cello back into its case before turning his attention to Nick.

The younger man captures his lips in a warm, gentle kiss and there's so much emotion in that one press of lips that Monroe feels his breath catch in his throat. There's millions of words unspoken, hundreds of expressions that could be made, but none of it matters in this moment. All that matters is the two of them.

"Come on," Nick mumbled against his lips, pulling back just enough to cause Monroe to grumble in the back of his throat. "Let's go to bed." Monroe smirks and allows Nick to lead him back into the bedroom. Maybe his cello had some uses other than putting Nick to sleep. Now his only problem was trying to remember how he played the song in the first place…

**Author's Note:**

> Hope you all liked it! Thanks for reading! :D


End file.
